curated by imagineNATIVE and co-presented by Urban Shaman and Cinametheque

A Métis/Algonquin filmmaker, actor, and curator, Michelle Latimer has written and produced several short films including Choke (Sundance Festival Jury Prize Honourable Mention in International Short Filmmaking, Tiff Canada’s Top Ten, nominated for Canadian Screen Award), The Underground (TIFF, Best Short Film ImagineNATIVE), Nimmikaage (Oberhausen, Pan Am Games, National Gallery of Canada) and the feature doc Alias (nominated for a Canadian Screen Award).

The female voice and perspective in Indigenous cinema remains a strong, vital, and influential force. From both sides of the Medicine Line – the Canadian-American border – creating an expansive discourse around issues from resurgence, deep cultural ties and traditions, to sisterhood and loss. outstanding new talents explore an array of topics that plunge into the core of humanity.

A stirring ode to the generations to rise up and bring light to the world.

Passing Moments / Directed by Melissa Girvan, 2015, Canada, 5 min

An old woman moves through the cycle of her memories and struggles to find peace amidst the longing.

Polar Sun / Directed by Katie Doane Avery, 2016, USA, 12 min

After the tragic death of Sondra’s sister, her seven-year-old niece, Raven, comes to live with her and her partner. Already struggling to make sense of her own grief, she must help her niece through the loss of her mother and she turns to the Inupiat stories as a source of guidance for them both.

Exposed Nerves / Directed by Madison Thomas, 2016, Canada, 8 min

Through contemporary dance, we see the different ways that a young woman deals with her bipolar reality.

Through trust and sisterhood, two Métis women support one another on their path to transcendence and healing.

Susto / Directed by Pearl Salas, 2016, USA, 8 min

A young woman recounts the story of the “Coco Man,” a ghostly and monstrous entity that haunts misbehaving children.

Smoke that Travels / Directed by Kayla Briët, 2016, USA, 13min

An insightful autobiographical documentary from self-taught filmmaker Kayla Briët, who weaves a beautiful visual tapestry of her father’s teachings as a cultural leader and the legacy she holds onto.

Numb / Directed by Kristin Flattery, 2018, Canada, 4:06 min

Numb questions Kanata’s relationship with Indigenous peoples, allowing the viewer to contemplate the next 150 year relationship. Numb regards the children who fled Residential School in freezing temperatures using the railway to guide them. Numb also pays homage to my Dakota ancestors who were dispossessed of their land and forced to move in harsh temperatures to unfavorable or inhabitable areas lacking resources. Finally, it pays tribute to a young woman who was brutally assaulted and fled barefoot into the woods where she perished.

High Altitude / Directed by Victoria Inglis, 2018, Canada, 3:59 min.

High Altitude explores what it means the be an Indigenous artist in the modern world. Being a youth in a fast paced digital arts scene, Inglis poetically explores the ideas of decolonization, racism, creativity, and life on lands of broken agreements. Though poetry they explore ways to go back to the land and heal.